Weed-killing device.



J. LYTLB, JR.

WEED KILLING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED 0CT.Z8,1913.

1,105,674; atented Aug. 4, 1914.

FIG. 2.

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WEED-KILLING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 28, 1913. Serial No. 797,743.

Patented A 119'. t, 1914:.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, JosnrII Lv'rnn, Jr., asubject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Formby, Liverpool, inthe county of Lancaster, in the Kingdom of England, have inventedcertain new and useful, Improvements in VVeed-Killing Devices, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices or implements for use in destroying oreradicating weeds in lawns and other situations. The device is of thetype in which the act of pressing the cutting blade of the implementinto the weed, and thereby overcomingthe pressure of a spring, opens avalve which ejects a weed destroying poison into the weed so as to killor extirpate it.

The present invention is characterized by the feature that the metaltubular body or socket which carries the sliding cutting blade, and thetubular handle or staff which forms a container for the weed destroyingpowder and enables the implement to be held in the hands, are madeseparate and as a complete weed piercing instrument and a completepoison containing instrument re spectively, and are removably connectedtogether by simply spigoting the one into the other, so that the oneforms a continuation of the other, and the latter can be instantlyremoved from the socket for refilling at the forward end. Furthermorethe handle or staff being wholly unobstructed inside, en ables the weeddestroying powder inserted therein, to be made up in the form of acartridge.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1. is a side view of my weed killingdevice; Fig. 2, a front view thereof; and Fig. 3, a sectional viewshowing the weed killer in operation.

According to this invention, the implement embodies a metal tubular bodyor socket A having a straight tubular handle or stalf B spigoted intoit, whose duty is not only to enable the implement to be held in thehands, but also to form a container for weed destroying powder, orpowder put up in the form of cartridges. The upper end of this hollowhandle B is closed by a removable cap or plug C, while the lower end isin connection with or forms a continuation of, the metal socket ortubular body A. The said handle can be made of cardboard, papier-mach orany other suitable material.

The lower open end of the metal tubular body or socket A. is preferablybeveled as at l). and is closed by a thin sliding blade E which by meansof a spring F is kept in such a position as to prevent the escape orejection of powder from the socket, and forms a valve. The blade E hashowever a perforation or port G in it, and a projecting flange orabutment ll, so that when the end of the blade E is placed on a weed,and pressure applied to force the end of the blade into the wood, theblade will penetrate the wood a certain distance only, because theflange H forms a stop which prevents it penetrating too far.Consequently the continued downward pressure on the handle l3 forces theblade backward against the action of the spring F, and brings theperforation G into register with the socket. thus opening the port(-iand allowing poison to run down the blade E or be ejected itno theweed, so that it is absorbed thereby. As soon as the prcssure isreleased, the blade slides back by the spring F, and the escape of thepoison is cut oil". The said lower end of the socket A. is preferablybeveled at D as aforesaid, for the purpose of causing the blade to liein a plane at a convenient angle to the axis of the socket A and handleB, and for the purpose of forming the socket hopper shaped at the end inorder that the powder may be direct ed through the perforation G in theblade when the port is in the open position.

The socket or tubular body part A. is by preference made of a piece ofmetallic tube, and the end is stamped or swaged into the requisite formby dies in a stamping press. These dies first cut out a portion T) fromthe front of the tube at the end and flatten the back I oppositethereto, also close the extreme end J so that the only outlet for thepowder is at the front through the opening left below the inclined faceor portion D. In order to form guides for the sliding blade E, the tubeat each side K of the opening or outlet is flattened by dies, and themargins of these flattened parts are bent inwardly at right angles toform guides or flanges L in which the blade E can slide. The saidflanges are inclined to the longitudinal axis of the tube, so that ahopper shaped end is produced. A slight fin or rib M can be produced atthe flattened sides K if desired, to increase lateral strength. Thesewould be formed by the surplus metal, resulting from the sides beingmade flat or rectangular, instead of circular shape.

In use a cartridge containing poison is opened at one end, and insertedintothe hollow handle B, so that the poison does not come into contactwith the hands at all. The device is then operated as hereinbeforedescribed simply by applying the end of the blade E to the weed andforcing down the handle B, thus opening the valve and allowing poison torun down into the weed, which absorbs it, and the poison kills the root.The blade E may be tapered at the end, and the flange or stop H is bypreference at the sides or back of the blade. The handle or staff 13being spigoted into the socket A, it can be readily removed wheneverrequired to be replenished with another cart-ridge of poison which ispreferably in the form of finely divided powder.

I declare that what I claim is 1. In a weed-killing device, the combination of a tubular body or socket provided with an opening in its lowerend; and a cutting blade adapted to normally close said opening, theblade being provided with a port adapted to register with the openingwhen the blade is pushed downwardly into the weed, whereby material maybe discharged from the tubular body and said port directly onto theweed.

2. In a weed-killing device, the combination of a tubular body or socketprovided with an opening in its lower end; a cutting blade carried atthe lower end of said body and adaptedto close the opening left therein,said blade being likewise provided with a port adapted to be broughtinto register with the opening in the lower end of the tubular body; anda spring for normally keeping the blade in its lowest position and theopening and port out of alinement.

3. In a wee Jl-killing device, the con1bination of a tubular body orsocket provided with an opening at its lower end; a cutting bladeslidably mounted upon the lower end of said tubular body and adapted tonormally close said opening, said blade being provided with a portnormally out of register with the opening; a spring for holding saidblade in its lowest position, with the port and openii'ig out ofalinement; and a stop secured to the blade and adapted, as the blade ispushed downwardly into the weed, to arrest the movement of the blade andto thereby cause the port and opening to come into alinement upon afurther clownward movement of the tubular body, whereby the weed-killingmaterial within the tubular body may pass outwardly through the bladeand be deposited directly upon the weed.

4. In a weed-killing device, the combination of a tubular body or socketprovided with a hopper-shaped bottom having a lat eral dischargeopening; a cutting blade slidably mounted over said opening and providedwith a port; a spring normally tending to force said blade downwardlyand to hold the port and opening out of alinement; and a stop carried bythe blade and adapted to arrest the movement of the blade as the same ispushed downwardly and to thereby bring the port and opening intoalinement.

5. In a weed-killing device, .the combination of a tubular body orsocket provided with an opening adjacent its lower end; a cutting bladeslidably mounted over said opening, said blade being provided with aport adapted to register with the opening under certain conditions; aspring for normally moving said blade downwardly to carry the port outof register with the opening; a stop mounted upon the blade and adaptedto arrest its downward movement 6. In a weed-killing device, the combination of a tubular body or socket provided with a face inclined to the maor axis of the tubular body and having an opening therein; a cuttingblade slidably mounted over said opening and provided with a port; aspring adapted to move said blade downwardly and to carry the port outof register with the opening; and a stop adapted to arrest the downwardmovement ofthe blade after it has been projected into the weed or theground to a limited extent.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name this 17 day ofOctober 1913, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH LYTLE, JR. Witnesses G. C. DYMoND, T. S; Sr-nLLINeToN.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

